Pieter

I am Pieter, A National Tour guide living in Cape Town. I am 54 Years old. I became a guide already in April of 1997 so it’s now more than 22 years of guiding and in this period I have met many wonderful clients that has travelled in South Africa but also on several Cross Border Tours with me. I can confidently say that I am very, very familiar with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. I have even done tours that went as far as Zambia and Malawi with the emphasis on resorts around Lake Malawi.

I need to mention that my background is ironically Advance Finance with an Honors degree on the Johannesburg Stock exchange although my character is very, very far from that background. As a good proudly South African I started to do Barbecues and Potjies (stews) on some of my tours with smaller groups and Families where it’s possible with great success and feedback.

It is as if my whole career has prepared me for these opportunities that I am getting now as a Tour leader. I always have been a leader throughout my career. Too many to mention and yes, this again is not my character to mention these. I have been the Captain of various sport teams at School, Head Boy of my School; Junior Officer in the Army; Captain of my University Rugby Team; Member of my University Hostel Leadership Committee; Best tour guide with the highest results at the Tour guiding Training Course. I furthermore scored the highest student reviews for 8 years consecutively at Livingstone Tourist Academy for tour guides that were evaluated by the +/- 40 aspirant tour guides.

One of my biggest hobbies is Birdwatching and I have taken part in several Birding Big Days, which is a competition to identify as many bird species as possible in 24 hours. I do claim that I can identify any bird in South Africa if I can only hear them. My knowledge of Animals and specifically Flora is very strong. I have therefor done various seasonal Flower Tours in the Spring period every year. I was also privileged to be the Tour Leader of the International Directors of Botanical Gardens Conference that were held here in Cape Town. This was followed with another expert Open Gardens Tour of a Canadian Group that combined cultivated Gardens with our wild Spring Flowers. I recently also did a tour as the Tour Leader for African Ample Assistance that was a  Four Countries Tour- South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

I am still as enthusiastic about South Africa and our careers as guides and tour leaders as when I started guiding years ago. It is just a great privilege to show people firstly what I believe is our biggest asset - our people. Friendly- good proudly South Africans from the porters at the hotel to the person refueling our Tour bus at the Gas Station. If you combine this great People Asset with good Food, great Wine, lovely beaches, beautiful mountains and then lastly, some of the Best Fauna and Flora in the world. Well that equates to a winning formula!! That’s why I love South Africa and my career!! See you in South Africa!! Pieter.